Top High School Dropout Jobs

The list of high school dropout jobs may be longer than you think!

When it comes to finding good work, no one has a tougher time than high school dropouts. According to a recent study conducted at Georgetown, those without a college education have a much harder time finding employment than those that went to college.

Still, for many high school students the goal of getting their diploma isn't met for a wide variety of issues including financial problems, personal commitments, and more. However, it is still possible for high school dropouts to find good paying jobs based upon having the right skill sets and connections to land desirable positions.

We decided to put together a list of the best jobs that a high school graduate can likely land. The study we cited above shows that the large majority of such jobs will be in the fields of transportation, construction and manufacturing. Although those fields tend to be dominated by men, that doesn't mean that women who have dropped out of high school are out of luck. There are still positions that are offered in the fields of hospitality and tourism, which unlike the others we mentioned, as usually dominated by women.

All that being said, we have provided you with a list of the TOP 5 good paying jobs that a high school dropout could land.

Top Jobs for High School Dropout: #1: General Manager of a Restaurant

Also known as food service managers, this job requires somebody to make sure the daily operations of a restaurant are met including the food being properly cooked, sent out in time and a sufficient wait staff. Although the job can be very stressful, it provides a healthy median income of $43,700 on average.

Top Jobs for High School Dropout: #2 A Executive Assistance

Think of an assistant who specifically works with somebody very high up in a corporation, such as a company executive! This person is responsible for scheduling appointments for their executive, filing away reports, etc. This position fortunately is a growingÂ one,Â with an expected 12% increase over the next 10 years. Average median income with this position? $43,700. Not bad! This is also a position that is usually dominated by women, giving them an edge over men during the hiring process.

Top Jobs for High School Dropout: #3: A Big Rig Truck Driver

Ever drive on one of our highways and pass a large tractor trailer truck making a big delivery? One of those drives could be you, even if you dropped out of high school. A heavy-truck driver can put in long hours and many miles on the road, but the position has a median starting income of $39,400 and could be a lucrative option for some.

In some cases depending on the number of hours the driver logs and how many deliveries he makes, he can earn even more. Although very rare, recent reports about a shortage of truck drivers state that some classified ads have been spotted stating that interested individuals could earn upwards of $73K a year as big rig drivers!

Top Jobs for High School Dropout: #4: A Diesel Mechanic

Did you know that 16% of people without a high school diploma are employed in this position? Interesting, huh? So, with so many cars switching over to diesel and the re-insurgence of bio-diesel, there is a need for mechanics who can work on diesel engines.

Top Jobs for High School Dropout: #5: A Heavy Equipment Operator

With recent reports about our shabby road conditions, there is a large need for people to help repair bridges, build new roads, create highways for those big rig trucker drivers, etc. This is where heavy equipment operators come in. These people make all that possible and although they can work long hours and outside in tough conditions, the position has a median starting income of $38,900 and 25% of workers employed in this position have themselves dropped out of high school.